An aerial photo of the Toledo and Ohio
Central Railroad's (T&OC) West Columbus Yard.
From the Tom Swisher Collection.

The West Columbus Yard was the classification yard for the T&OC in
Columbus. To the left, off the photo, was the roundhouse for servicing
steam locomotives and BJ tower on the west side of Grandview Avenue
(see photo west end of yard). When the New
York Central System took over the T&OC in the 1930's it already had the
Big Four through Columbus. They were two quite different railroads
with the Big Four running crack passenger trains on its Cleveland -
Columbus - Cincinnati route and the T&OC heavy in coal from southern Ohio,
and points further south, to the Toledo coal docks. They always
seemed like two different railroads although the Big Four gave up its
Denison Avenue roundhouse and had its steam locomotives serviced at West
Columbus.

To the right, just off the photo, the Big Four main line curves to the north
meeting up with the B&O coming from the south. From that point to
just east of Columbus Union Station the B&O used the Big Four tracks.

West Columbus Yard was
constructed with a bowl or depression in the middle of the yard.
Cars being classified could be kicked from either end of the yard, rolling
toward the center of the bowl.

When the PennCentral completed
their new Buckeye Yard in the late 1969 West Columbus was phased out.
Where the roundhouse once stood is now the C.O.T.A. bus garage.